During the fall we were contacted by Mountain Bike Action Magazine about their desire to review the newly revamped Fezzari Nebo Peak 27.5 Alloy trail bike. With 150mm of re-engineered Fox 34 and Float Evol suspension travel, SRAM 1×11 drivetrain, Raceface 35mm cockpit and wide WTB KOM wheels, the Nebo Peak checked all the boxes for must-have’s on a do-it-all trail bike without breaking the bank. After running the MBAction test rider through our 23-point custom setup, we built the Nebo Peak and shipped it to them so they could put it through their Southern California testing grounds. What did they think? Read the full Fezzari Nebo Peak review below.

(Article and photos originally published in the January issue of Mountain Bike Action Magazine. Original digital post can be found at MBAction.com)

If there is one thing that’s clear about Fezzari, it’s that the company cares about getting more riders on the trail. With modern suspension platforms coupled with a streamlined business model, Fezzari is delivering high-end build kits to consumers at a steep discount. The Nebo Peak is Fezzari’s aggressive trailbike. The Nebo gives aspiring enduro riders the opportunity to break into the sport without breaking the bank. Fezzari has established itself as a strong option for riders looking for top-shelf parts with impressive price tags.

WHO IS IT MADE FOR?

Whether you’re a new, novice or seasoned rider, Fezzari offers everything from entry-level bikes to high-end machines all built around modern technology. Riders looking to dabble in aggressive trail riding or more committed athletes who want to get a fast-descending rig on a budget will find a connection with the Nebo Peak. A typical bike with this build would retail for around $5000, while Fezzari is offering this bike for a very modest $3200.

Modern touches: Internal cable routing was one of a few touches that Fezzari built into the frame. Stealth dropper routing also gave the bike a slick look.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?

To keep the cost of bikes down, Fezzari offers the Nebo Peak in a full-aluminum frame and rear triangle. The Nebo Peak features internal cable routing (including stealth dropper routing), a 12×142 rear axle and direct-mount rear brake. Fezzari uses its Racing Design HL675 featuring a Tetra-link system, which has proven to be a solid design.

Turn up the volume: The Fox Float with Evol made the rear end feel very smooth. Bumps at fast speeds were soaked up and rocky sections were muted.

WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?

There were several components on the Nebo Peak that we enjoyed, but the first standout was the suspension. With Fox suspension front and rear, we felt we got the most bang for our buck possible. The Fox Float DPS shock with the EVOL air stood out, making the rear end incredibly plush. Up front the Fox 34 with FIT4 damper kept the front end stable. The WTB KOM rims were stiff and wide enough to give the Maxxis Ardent 2.4 tires a healthy footprint on the trail.

Stout and smooth: There were plenty of components that stood out on our test bike, but the Fox 34 was a bonus. The thick stanchions felt stiff and light, keeping the front end nimble and fun.

There are other things you can do to the front end to make it more stable, but the 35-millimeter bar/stem combo from Race Face felt sturdy on steep sections of trail. The Aeffect35 bars were wide, offering good leverage, and the stem is short, keeping the reach and cockpit compact and comfortable.

Big bars: While some are on the fence about 35-millimeter bars and stems, we couldn’t get enough of them on this bike. The stouter bars felt stiff and gave us promising leverage.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM?

We took advantage of Fezzari’s 23-point fit system, which actually was a pretty smooth process. Everything from inseam to arm length was accounted for, and Fezzari used the information to calculate the best fit. In our case we got wide bars with a shorty stem and even the chainring size we wanted, which was an added bonus. One thing that this fit system doesn’t account for is if a rider has some serious preferences with bars or stems, but aside from that we didn’t have any complaints.

When we pulled the bike out of the box to assemble it, we were pleasantly surprised at how dialed in the bike was. The gears needed a minor tweak, but for the most part were pretty smooth. Our bike did require an extra headset spacer to keep the bearings snug, but aside from that, all the small details of a build, down to the tires being set up tubeless, were accounted for. Since this is a direct-to-consumer brand, we were concerned about how “built” the bike would be, but most riders shouldn’t have much of an issue with assembly.

We set the sag on the suspension, dialed in the saddle height and got ready to hit the trail. One thing we did notice was how tight the space was to mount a water bottle cage. Since this is a 150-millimeter bike, most riders will probably be running a hydration pack, but there are some here at MBA who like to take a bottle for shorter rides. Even on the medium frame there simply wasn’t enough clearance to carry a small bottle. Nevertheless, we filled up our hydration packs and headed to the trails.

Moving out: The geometry of the Nebo Peak is very slack and upright. Initially, it felt a little too upright, so we dropped the stack height of the bars, making the ride position a little more aggressive. We loved the wide bars and the overall appearance of the 35-millimeter diameter stem clamp.

Corner at speed: The Nebo Peak stood out at high speeds and held lines with confidence. Eyes ahead on the trail as we never second-guessed our line choices.

Cornering: With the slack 67-degree head angle, the bike clung to corners with ease. The front end felt sturdy, and we felt that we could get plenty of leverage out of the bars. Given the relatively short, sloping top tube, we did have to move our weight back behind the saddle a little more to keep the bike balanced in tight corners. The Maxxis Ardent tires held lines well and didn’t get squirrelly, even in loose conditions.

Climbing: Granted, this is a longer-travel trailbike, but climbing was not where this machine excelled. The suspension firmed up well with the climbing switch turned on, but we still had to work pretty hard when the trail pitched up. Most climbs were spent sitting patiently and spinning, looking for the top of the mountain. On steep, loose sections we found ourselves moving way out in front of the saddle, trying to get all the power we could out of the pedals.

Let it slide: With wide bars and a compact reach, the Nebo Peak is easy to throw through corners and boost over rock gardens.

Descending: The Nebo Peak feels most at home pointed down a steep, fast trail. We rode the Fezzari on some pretty steep sections and were pleased with how well the bike handled more technical terrain. The rear suspension felt active. It kept the tire on the trail and was smooth over ruts and rocks. We felt the benefits of the tight geometry and were able to pull the front end around in tight sections. On flowing, flatter trails, the Nebo Peak did require more pedaling to keep the momentum up, but it was still fun. Given the pretty fast tread on the tires, we think some of this can be attributed to the weight of the bike.

Most bikes in this suspension category are really intended for steep, fast descents, and the Nebo Peak affirms this. It was easy to sit back behind the saddle and put our weight over the rear wheel while the front end did all the work for us.

A revised fit: Thanks to a lower standover height and shorter top tube than previous Nebo Peaks, we found the front end to be rather playful. Whether negotiating steep descents or ducking under low hanging branches, we were able to shift our position with ease.

TRICKS, TIPS & UPGRADES

The Nebo Peak doesn’t come stock with a dropper post, but we definitely recommend throwing that upgrade on for the extra dough that it will cost. Depending on what kind of riding you plan to be doing, you might consider a more aggressive tire or a slightly narrower tire to make the ride a little faster. We liked the Ardents that came on the bike; they seemed to suit the general riding we do, but a more specific tread could make a big difference.

BUYING ADVICE

If you like fast descents and want a bike that will handle them, but don’t want to empty your wallet, the Nebo Peak is a contender that is second to none. With this bike being a direct-to-consumer product, potential buyers should consider that they may be on their own when issues arise, since the bike doesn’t come from a brick-and-mortar shop. On the other hand, we have had nothing but good interactions with the customer service department at Fezzari and are pretty confident that they are some of the best in the business as far as coming through for their riders. If you’re on the fence about what bike to pick, customer service is always a good deciding factor.